What are animal crackers?
Animal crackers are simply crackers that are shaped like animals. There is a long-lasting, friendly debate about whether animal crackers are crackers or cookies. Because they are baked using layered dough, they could be considered crackers. But because they are made with sweetened dough, they have the taste and the consistency of a cookie. Animal crackers have a long and interesting history. They were introduced to Americans in the 1800s as “Animals,” which were fancy, animal-shaped cookies that came over from England. The popularity of these “wild” treats was such that small, neighborhood bakeries began creating their own versions of the cookie to meet the demands of their customers. As the 19th century ended, bakeries in the United States began merging into much bigger companies with larger distribution areas. One of the most successful mergers was the National Biscuit Company, which was later called Nabisco. In 1902, the National Biscuit Company launched their own version of “Animal
